Dancing doll

ABSTRACT

A motorized toy has articulated joints allowing movement of the doll&#39;s appendages. The movement of the doll is caused by motors within the doll. A child wears controllers sending signals to the motors within the doll, enabling the doll to mimic the movements of the user.

This application claims benefit of provisional application 60/815,868, filed Jun. 23, 2006.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Most children's toys are used by a child for a very short period of time. This fact is due to the toy's inability to capture and maintain the child's attention. A child quickly becomes familiar with the operation and limitations of the toy and loses interest quickly. Toys that are successful in maintaining a child's attention have a large degree of interaction between the child and the toy. Also, toys which cause a child to be active have an additional benefit.

An example of an interactive toy causing the user to be active is the Nintendo® Wii video gaming system. In the system, the user has various controllers. Movement of the controller by the player is reflected by the character in the video game. This high degree of interaction and activity contributes to the success of the video gaming system.

It is an object of the invention to provide a toy having interaction between the toy and user.

It is another object of the invention to provide a toy causing the user to be active.

It is yet another object of the invention to have a toy mimicking movement of the user.

These and other objects of the invention will become apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art after reading the disclosure of the invention.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A motorized toy has articulated joints allowing movement of the doll's appendages. The movement of the doll is caused by motors within the doll. A child wears controllers sending signals to the motors within the doll, enabling the doll to mimic the movements of the user.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 is a schematic of the invention showing both the user and doll.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

A child 10 using the toy 12 has a series of controllers 14 worn on various places on the body. The controllers sense their movement through three dimensional space and transmit signals to the toy 12. The controllers can use any type of conventional technology to both sense the movement and send the appropriate signal to the toy. Examples include ball bearing switches, gyroscopes or accelerometers in the controllers or motion tracking cameras in the doll. The signal may be via wire or wireless and can be sent in any conventional manner, such as infrared, radio frequency, or audio.

Controllers can be provided on the feet, hands, head and hips, for example. When the child moves, the controller also moves and this movement is detected and sent from the controller to a receiver in the doll. The receiver in the doll receives the signal from the controller and actuators activate the appropriate motors to cause the doll to have the same movement as the child. Movement of the controllers on the child's arms, legs and head cause movement of the doll's arms, legs and head. Movement of the controller on the child's hips can control movement of the doll's hips, including rotation of the entire body. In this manner, the doll mimics the movement of the child. For instance, if the child moves her leg so as to be parallel to the ground, the controllers sense this movement and send a signal to the actuators in the doll to cause the doll's leg to become parallel to the ground.

In the example depicted in FIG. 1, the child has raised her left leg and arm. This movement is detected by the controllers on the arm and leg and signals are sent to the doll. The signals cause the actuators in the doll to activate the appropriate motors to have the raise the left leg and arm of the doll to mimic the child.

While the invention has been described with reference to a preferred embodiment, variations and modification would be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art. The invention encompasses such variations and modifications. 

1. A toy comprising a body having at least one appendage at least one motor within the body to cause movement of the at least one appendage, at least one actuator controlling the at least one motor, at least one controller sensing its movement through three dimensional space, the at least one controller sending a signal to the at least one actuator, the at least one actuator causing the at least one motor to move the at least one appendage in a manner to mimic the movement of the at least one controller.
 2. The toy of claim 1, wherein the at least one controller sends the signal wirelessly.
 3. A doll comprising a body, a head, a pair of legs and a pair of arms, motors moving the pair of legs and pair of arm independently on one another, actuators controlling the motors, controllers sensing their movement through three dimensional space, the controllers sending a signal to actuators, the actuators causing the motors to move the arms and legs in a manner to mimic the movement of the controllers.
 4. The doll of claims 3, further comprising a motor controlling the motion of the body, an actuator controlling the body motor, a controller sending a signal to the actuator for the body motor.
 5. The doll of claim 3, further comprising a motor controlling the motion of the head an actuator controlling the head motor, a controller sending a signal to the actuator for the head motor.
 6. The toy of claim 3, wherein the controller sends the signal wirelessly. 